All About Pocket Knives

There has been some discussion in the past about Hammer Brand tang stamps, after Imperial got the rights to the brand. As I recall, some knives were made with solid plastic handles, but most were made with "shell" handles. Here's one with solid handles, with a peachseed jigging pattern.
Does anyone know if it was made at the Imperial plant, or, at the Schrade factory. (Or at Ulster?)?
Answering that question would help to date this knife as well. I have not figured out how to search the forum effectively, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have added LT's picture from Knife world re: stamping dates.

A Imperial catalog from pre 41.

Note the thickness of the forearm.
Going by the tangs posted, puts it in the 36-37s. I have a 41 catalog where the are has been thickened.

I'm a bit confused. When did the U.S.A. along the side show up, Larry?? Notwithstanding the sketches.

that looks like a NYK ad?

It may just be a NYK ad.. They (Imperial) used the same picture in the 41 Catalog along side the Hammer Branded Jackmasters with a different Arm/Hammer logo.
Just changed the prices.

I was always under the impression that they (Imperial) just used the hammer brand logo on the celluloid knives.

Eric

Here's knifeholic's post from "another" forum;

"Charlie;

After the Hammer Brand trademark was obtained by Imperial in the 30's, it was of course used on the millions of "shell handled" knives that were sold under the "Jack Master" trademark, and this continued after the merger of Imperial/Schrade/Kingston/Ulster into the 1950's.

It is my experience based on observation over the years that you will also find the Hammer Brand mark on a very few knives made by Imperial Schrade using Ulster tooling; that is to say that they are identical to the 1950's and 1960's Ulster knives but have the Hammer Brand marking.....your stockman is one of these knives. So it was still "in the family" so to speak, just made on different tooling than the shell handled knives made at the Imperial factory.

Maybe Imperial Schrade made a line of Hammer Brands using the Ulster tooling for a short while - in my 30 plus years I have only seen maybe a dozen of them in total."

Interesting, no??

I posted my older Imperial catalogs tonight.
Check out the goodies at http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us

An Imperial Hammer Brand you might not have seen. 'Hammer Forged" the ad copy reads, and sure enough, there on the blades, you can see that is true. Well, almost.

These are solid handled, 'sawcut' type plastic (some sorta plastic) handles with the Arm & Hammer Shield. Tang stamp is "Imperial, Prov. R.I." There is no model number on the blades.

As I collect toothpicks and fishing knives, that was the first one I found. I later ran across the display case. Each find was a painstaking one, and oddly, only one came from ebay. I like 'in the trenches' collecting better, and I am good at it.

Asute Parker and Schrade collectors might find the stockman familiar. Anyone?

Phil

Hey Phil,

I'm not sure I understand the question, or the answer you're looking for... But, the "hammer marks" on the blades look like Old Hickory, to me.

Did I even get close ?

JR

Gr8scout,
Somewhat of a similarity (sorry I didn't have all the blades open on this pic ):

Bingo, ea42! And you are doing the right thing in not opening both blades that share the same backspring. It is a sickening feeling to have one break in your hands as you are doing that.

When those Parkers sell on ebay, they are usually advertised as 'Schrade' made knives. Henry Baer may have brokered the deal, but I think they are pure Imperial made. But you never know and I could be wrong. I should look for one of those Parkers, would be an interesting addition to my display.

Anyway, I just wanted to dispell the notion that all Imperial Hammer Brand were shell handled knives.

Phil

Gr8Scout wrote:An Imperial Hammer Brand you might not have seen. 'Hammer Forged" the ad copy reads, and sure enough, there on the blades, you can see that is true. Well, almost.

These are solid handled, 'sawcut' type plastic (some sorta plastic) handles with the Arm & Hammer Shield. Tang stamp is "Imperial, Prov. R.I." There is no model number on the blades.

Phil

Phil,
I have one like that too, but mine is a shell handle with the faux hammer marks. The cover on the handles is heavier than the celluloid sheeting on most of the Hammer Brands. I might have missed the missed the shell handles if the cover wasn’t missing on one end of the mark side. Looking at the end tabs confirmed it.
These are heavier and better made than the average shell handle.

Dale

Aha! I have made a mistake! Been too long since I took this case down and looked at the knives... so we are back to Hammer Imperial knives being shell handled. Oh, well,, the fixed blade is NOT a shell handle.

Thank you Orvet. I always stand ready to be corrected to keep the forum reputation what it is... which is excellent.

So how about the Parker... shell handles?

Phil

I don't know about the Parkers. I don't have any & don't recall ever seeing one. My impression is that they are solid handles. Imperial made some nice solid handle knives, and you are right on the fixed blade being solid. I have a couple & both are solid. However, Imperial did make at least one fixed blade/shell handle pattern.


Good to hear from you again Phil.
Dale

Just tossing this in for discussion here...

In another place on the Internet (in a Galaxy far, far away), Mr. Glennbad posted the knife below, and mentioned the faux forging marks and the SHELL handles. I know it's not the SAME as Eric's knife (different color, dates, not a Marine Corps SFO)...but a close look at the artwork says... . Good chance the Parker was made by Imperial??

Just joining in.

Bill

I think you have a point there Bill. When I blew up the pic of Glennbad's knife, I think it has the same type handles that my knife & Phil’s knife had.........shell handles. So I went back and blew up the pic of ea42's knife and I think they are all shell handles. Maybe ea42 or Glenn could take a look at the end of their knives and tell us whether they see tabs on the ends where the shells are fastened to the knife frame. If those are both shell handles, then I would think they were made by Imperial (or whoever made the shells for Imperials).

Dale

Dale,
Yep, definitely tabbed, as are the other two from the set. The three were available as a set that came in a hinged green box. Mine are individual pieces that came in brown woodgrained boxes identical to Schrade's boxes, but with Bicentennial Commemorative in gold lettering on the boxes

Eric

voyles book of commemoratives lists the parker-frost 200th birthday, us armed services set of three 4" stock knives made by imperial with hammer forged blades.

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... /HB-73.htm
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... B-73-1.htm

Thanks Larry.
Do you know what year those was flyers were printed? My guess from the numbers would be 1973.
Can you confirm or dispell that?

Thanks,
Dale

Dale,
I believe you are correct.
Photos from 73. May have been released to public in either 73 or 74.